What the Tide Washed In
by Praetor of Rome
Summary: Percy and Annabeth hope to build a happy ending for themselves, and like all parents they eventually find that their legacy has outgrown them. Written for PJO Ship Weeks.


**Happy Blood of Olympus! Here's the last of my Ship Week fics. I was totally planning on writing a big featuring-lots-of-characters, happily-ever-after fic to be published today, but I just ran out of time. So I apologize for the sadness instead. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

_She stood at the top of the sloping hill that stretched down to yellow sand and crashing waves. It was a quaint spot tucked away from the bustle of everyday life, but it also stood as a monument for generations to come. _

_The woman touched the cool marble, bowing her head so her dark curls spilled over and hid her eyes._

_Not that it mattered, anyways. She had asked to be alone._

* * *

Percy was flopped half-in, half-out of the water, carefully drawing stick figures in the wet sand.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, but her smile was sad when she carefully stretched out beside him, wiggling her toes in the gloppy mess of sand and salt water.

"Hey." Percy looked up from his masterpieces long enough to lean over and kiss her on the forehead.

"Hey yourself." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Feel good to be home?"

He sighed. "It should. I missed this place so much. But-"

"Everything's changed," Annabeth finished quietly, and Percy nodded.

"I always have to focus on _something_, even for two minutes, or else-" Percy shook his head. "How are you doing?"

"Alright."

As he slid an arm around her shoulders, she snuggles close, concentrating on the waves splashing over their legs and wondering if they might actually go swimming in a few minutes.

Alright was relative.

* * *

"Ready for the first Biannual Inter-Camp Games?" Percy slid his arms around Annabeth's waist and leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

She laughed. "I'm on police duty for opening night, but we'll definitely cream the blue team in war games tomorrow." Annabeth frowned. "Actually, I should probably get changed. The crowds should start arriving in half an hour."

"One-" Percy held up a finger. "I still don't understand why Reyna's not flaunting the seven of us as an example of inter-camp peace. Two – why is she making you work tonight? Three-" Percy raised his eyebrows. "Does this mean I'm supposed to be scared of you?"

Annabeth swatted his hand. "Clearly _someone _wasn't paying attention at the publicity discussion."

"Frank was taking notes!" Percy protested.

"Notes that you will never actually – oh, never mind." She turned around to wrap her arms around his neck. "Reyna trusts me to be in charge of keeping everyone in line tonight, and Seaweed Brain, you should always be terrified of me."

But then, of course, she kissed him, and Percy was left trying to remember why he had ever thought she was scary.

* * *

Percy leaned against the edge of the bed, breathing hard. Her camp necklace was clutched in his hand.

_I can't live like this_, she had said. _We need space. We need to branch out because we're just stuck in the same life all the time and I can't – _

He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the tears that trickled down his cheeks.

_How do you know what I need? _Percy thought bitterly, and he traced the intricate Empire State bead, wondering why on earth she would choose to leave it all behind.

* * *

"What's going on?" Annabeth jogged to the front of the crowd, using her veteran status to push aside the current campers.

"What was her name?" she heard another voice ask. Leana, the Aphrodite counselor, was crouched on the ground, her hand on the shoulder of a boy who couldn't be more than ten.

Annabeth caught her breath when she saw the bloodstained body of an older girl lying at the foot of the hill, her eyes glassy. Another demigod that didn't quite make it to safety.

"Hannah," the boy sobbed. "She's my sister, she can't…" Leana squeezed his shoulder, having no words to say.

Someone slipped up to stand next to her, and Annabeth's chest tightened when she saw who it was.

"Chiron told me you came by," Percy murmured.

She nodded.

He took her hand, and they stared helplessly at a scene that was somehow familiar but never stopped hurting.

* * *

Percy got along with his girlfriend's father quite well when he swung by Frederick's house on his all to frequent visits to Camp Jupiter. They could get into long-winded conversations over the tiniest details, and Annabeth would throw them amused looks from the family room where she was asking her brothers about how high school was treating them.

Similarly, Annabeth and Sally could chat for ages, and Percy started making a list of 'how many times my mother deliberately embarrasses me in one conversation'.

Still, he wouldn't have changed it for the world.

* * *

"Happily ever after time, guys!" Leo threw his arms around their shoulders.

_That's a little optimistic, _Percy didn't say. He simply grinned at Annabeth. If the universe was giving him the possibility of a future with this smart, beautiful, amazing woman, he would count his blessings.

"Now I have a very important question." Leo leaned forward. "Is the wedding cake chocolate or vanilla?"

* * *

"How are you not freaking out?" Annabeth demanded.

"Who says I'm not?" Percy squeezed her hand.

"You're acting really calm," she muttered.

"We did say we wanted this. This…is a good thing right?" Percy tipped his head, an uneasy feeling starting to twist his stomach into knots.

A small smile spread across Annabeth's face.

"I know," she whispered. "I did. I do." She bit her lip. "I'm scared. I'm really scared."

"For the record, I am too." He leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "We're in this together."

Annabeth scooted closer on the couch. "Your mom said that if you wait until you're really ready to have kids, you'll be waiting forever."

"When was this?" Percy frowned.

"Almost a year ago. Before – you know, we started actually-" Annabeth took a deep breath. "Sorry I panicked. We did say we both wanted this, I just…now that it's here…"

"In this together," he repeated, nudging her shoulder. "Through the good and the bad."

* * *

"Get Sarah and Liam out of here!" Annabeth yelled.

"If we can get to the reservoir, I can- aargh!"

"Percy!"

Annabeth scooped up her two-year-old son, grabbed her daughter by the hand, and stumbled outside their apartment.

What kind of life was this, attracting danger wherever they went? What kind of childhood were they giving their kids?

"I'm right behind you!" he called faintly, and Annabeth blew out a relieved breath.

They'd keep fighting.

* * *

"Sa-rah, what didya ask Santa for?" Cosette clutched her doll tightly, staring up at her cousin with wide eyes.

"A book and a new boogie board," Sarah recited.

"Oh, she is clearly your kid," Aunt Kayla called from the couch. She sat next to Uncle Malcolm, holding Logan on her lap.

Annabeth shrugged. "I think she got some of the science genes, though."

Sarah smiled brightly. She had won an award at her first grade science fair this year.

As Cosette begged her to play with the dolls, Sarah saw the way her daddy laughed and her mommy held his hand.

Sometimes they seemed so happy.

* * *

"Sarah Chase-Jackson, what do you think you're doing?"

Sarah jumped to her feet, hurriedly attempting to stuff the letters back in the file cabinet and failing miserably.

"Mom!"

Annabeth crossed her arms, giving her the look with those piercing gray eyes that Sarah used herself to intimidate other kids at school.

"I was just…"

"Going through my stuff without permission?" Annabeth snapped.

"_Looking _for answers, since you and Dad won't give me any straight ones!" Sarah shot back.

"On what?"

"The wars!" Sarah kicked the filing cabinet, wincing when her big toe throbbed. "We always hear the history book version of the Second Titan War and the Giant War but you and Dad won't say a damn thing about them!"

"Sarah…" Annabeth took a step back.

"I'm sick of being expected to be just as good as a demigod, and then treated like I'm not worthy enough to know what you were going through when you were my age!" she shouted. Sarah brushed past her mother, thundering down the hall to her room.

"Sarah, don't-"

Annabeth clenched her hands into fists.

* * *

"Gods, I hope Hayley isn't like this when she's a teenager," Annabeth groaned.

"Liam is too caught up with his friends and his training to really care about demigod history." Percy threw his jacket on the chair. "Look, they're all different. Sarah just…she likes to know things. Like someone else I know."

Annabeth sighed. "So this is my fault?"

"I'm not saying that!" Percy held up his hands. "Just you have to understand where she's coming from."

"That's the problem." Annabeth slumped down against the pillows. "I do."

* * *

There were conifers everywhere.

And Moose Crossing signs.

Sarah had heard a thousand times the rules about facing a moose versus a bear – "Always run from the moose, never run from the bear", but she was still slightly apprehensive.

Not that she would ever admit it. This was her life, the life she chose.

Already the air up hear smelled cleaner, and she loved the view from the rocky beaches out over Cook Inlet, to the hills and mountains that surrounded it.

She hoped that one day the sky would be clear enough to see a tiny hint of Denali from over a hundred miles away (she had heard it was possible).

Sarah knew she should feel lucky that Leo and Reyna had campaigned for her parents to not cut off tuition money just because of where she chose to go to college. Naturally, Hazel had been one of the primary advocates against it, but Sarah told herself she didn't care. She had always preferred colder climates, and she really liked the look of the marine biology program here.

_University of Alaska, here I come. _

* * *

"Please tell me I didn't atrociously screw up the time difference."

Sarah grinned, holding the phone against her shoulder as she tried to locate her math binder.

"Nope, you're good. You caught me before class."

"Thank the gods," Jenny sighed.

"So how's high school?"

"Ugh. How's college?"

"Ugh? Is that really all you have to say?" Sarah peeked under her bed.

"Two words. AP Calculus."

"As long as you're not getting into trouble…."

"I never get into trouble!"

"Jenny Valdez, that is such a lie!"

"You're one to talk, Miss Disobeying-my-parents-and-striking-out-on-my-own!" Jenny scoffed.

Sarah fell silent.

"Hey," Jenny said. "I'm sorry. Are you still not talking to them?"

"Not really," Sarah muttered.

"It'll get better," Jenny reassured her. "I'm sure they're just trying to look out for you."

Sarah closed her eyes. "Yeah."

* * *

"Have you heard from Sarah?" Percy asked quietly.

Annabeth shook her head, chewing on her lip. "She'll be okay."

"I wish we hadn't argued with her. Maybe then she wouldn't have been so determined to go."

"I think she was determined anyways. That's who she is." Annabeth laid her hand across Percy's. "They always say you have to let them go sometimes."

* * *

Sarah swallowed hard as she steered the car into the driveway of the Grace mansion.

A small figure came bounding out of the front entrance as she opened the door.

"Sarah!" Jenny all but tackled her.

"It's great to see you." Sarah smiled, but her stomach was turning to jelly.

Jenny grabbed her hand. "They're here already. I thought you might just want to get this over with."

"I-" Sarah blew a long strand of dark hair out of her eyes. "Yeah."

Together, they walked along the winding path to the double door entrance.

Sarah cautiously stepped inside.

They were the first people she saw.

"Mom?" Her voice was too quiet – it caught in her throat.

"Mom?" She called again. "Dad?"

Jenny slipped up next to her as Sarah stood in the doorway, a shy, nervous figure.

When she saw Percy's eyes lit up and Annabeth smile, Sarah knew it would be okay.

* * *

The Chase-Jackson life went on. Three children just as competent at academics or soccer as they were at dueling a hellhound attended and graduated college, finding successful jobs in the world and making new friends.

In a way, they were the bridge between the two worlds of mortal and monster, and late at night, Percy and Annabeth both hoped they could build a better future.

* * *

"You can see her now," the nurse said.

Sarah nodded and peeked into the hospital room, her hands stuffed in her coat pockets.

"Mom?"

"Sarah?" came the weak reply.

Sarah swallowed hard, but she forced a small smile to spread across her face as she walked over to her mother's bedside. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty beat up," Annabeth sighed, her voice scratchy.

"You shouldn't be taking on draconae at your age," Sarah said.

"At my age?" Annabeth raised her eyebrows, and Sarah smiled properly.

"What have the doctors said?" she asked.

Silence.

"Mom?" Sarah took a step forward, and Annabeth reached out to take her hand.

"This was a bad one, Sarah," she coughed. "With the heart problems I've been having, and when I broke my leg last year…"

"You'll be okay," Sarah insisted, but the protest sounded feeble.

"I've lived a good life, Sarah." Annabeth squeezed her hand, but Sarah barely felt it.

"Don't talk like that," she whispered. "Halloween's in a couple of days; you should see Daria's costume."

Annabeth smiled. "I love spending time with you and your kids, you know. But I think perhaps your father and I have been separated long enough."

Sarah wiped her eyes.  
"I know we fought a lot when I was younger," she whispered. "And I wish I hadn't left. I wish I would've spent more time with you-"

"Shhh." Her mother gently stroked the palm of her hand. "I think we all tried our best, even though I always wished your dad and I could've given you more." Sarah opened her mouth, but Annabeth continued, "You know we had a rough time our teenage years, and I think that took its toll. We tried our best to love you, and to love each other."

"You should hear the stories they still tell at Camp Half-Blood," Sarah said. "Yours is one of their favorite love stories. They say you were always meant to be together." She shrugged. "I believe it, too."

"The Fates have a funny way of messing with our lives, don't they?" she chuckled. "The chance that we should be the ones that ended up leading the charge. It might have been destiny, or it might have been just-" She blew out a long breath. "-the way the tide came in."

_You're not making any sense, _Sarah's thought, but she held her mother's hand tightly.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Sarah."

* * *

_Footsteps._

_Sarah Chase-Jackson lifted her head. "Excuse me, but I had asked for a moment-"_

"_I know."_

"_Jenny?" _

_The other woman smiled sadly. "You always try to be alone when you really don't want to. That much hasn't changed."_

_Jenny Valdez stood next to her, staring at the inscribed marble. "What are you thinking?"_

_Sarah thought for a moment. "I don't know."_

"_They had a pretty large legacy," Jenny said. _

"_Actually, it's hard to say." Sarah took a step back. "I think they tried to give that up to just live a normal life."_

"_Do you think it worked?"_

"_That's hard to say, too. It's been up to us for a while to be the heroes."_

_Jenny laughed. "We're getting a little too old to be heroes." _

"_So were they," she muttered. "But they loved us and each other more than anything. And they really tried to give us the life they wanted for us."_

"_That's what's matters, isn't it? To try." Jenny tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. _

_Sarah reached over and squeezed her best friend's hand. _

* * *

In loving memory of

Percy Jackson

August 18 1993 - March 14 2055

Annabeth Danielle Chase

July 12 1993 - November 4 2062

_As long as we're together. _


End file.
